It doesn't look like much now, but this is the site of the Tesla supercharging station behind Under Armour at the Outlets at Silverthorne. Tesla Motors, Inc., headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., manufactures the all electric Model S sedan. This will be the electric carmakers first supercharging station in Colorado.

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In an effort to provide its customers with the ability to take cross-country road trips, Tesla Motors, Inc. announced last week it would install a free supercharging station at the Outlets at Silverthorne.

Ryan Hyland, assistant town manager for the town of Silverthorne, said Monday Tesla representatives contacted town officials in February about Silverthorne serving as a venue for a supercharging station. Town officials then put Tesla representatives in contact with several property owners they thought would be interested in housing the station.

Ultimately, an agreement was worked out with the Outlets to construct a supercharging station in the Green Village, behind Under Armour. It will be the electric carmakers first supercharging station in Colorado.

“From the town’s perspective, anytime you can land an amenity or service that no one else has, that’s a home run and we are excited that they (Tesla) have partnered up with the Outlets,” Hyland said in an email to the Summit Daily News. “It’s certainly an economic development win for the Outlets and the Town.”

Crews from Denver-based Mason Wireless Solutions were at the future Tesla station Monday installing the supercharging cabinets. Each cabinet is capable of powering two charging pedestals. The Outlets received four cabinets and will feature eight charging stations.

Although Hyland touted the partnership as key for economic development, Outlets officials could not be reached by press time to discuss how a free charging station would benefit Silverthorne’s economy.

Tesla Motors, Inc. is based in Palo Alto, Calif., and currently offers one electric car model, the Model S, which was named Motor Trend’s 2013 car of the year. The sedan is available with three different types of batteries capable of traveling between 208 miles and 265 miles on a full charge, according to Tesla’s website, www.teslamotors.com. The car is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.2 to 6 seconds depending on the battery.

The base model has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $63,570, which can be financed for $579 a month, and features a 60-kilowatt battery. Upgrades for an 85-kilowatt battery or an 85-kilowatt performance battery are available for an extra $10,000 and $20,000, respectively.

The two upgraded battery options also come with a supercharging package, which includes free charging at all Tesla supercharging stations in the country.

Although the Model S includes equipment to charge the vehicle’s battery at home using standard 7- or 10-kilowatt outlets, Tesla announced in May an aggressive campaign to construct 120-kilowatt supercharging stations throughout the country. The company plans to build supercharging stations along major highway routes and in every metropolitan area in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2015.

Superchargers would not only allow Tesla car owners to travel coast-to-coast without having to spend a dime on fuel, but would also reduce charging time by 33 percent, according to a company news release issued in May.

By comparison, a 120-watt supercharging station can provide 200 miles of battery life after just 30 minutes of charge time. A 7-kilowatt and 10-kilowatt outlet can provide 10 and 15 miles of battery life, respectively, in the same amount of time.

Tesla also is preparing to roll out in early 2014 its Model X, a sport utility vehicle complete with falcon, or Delorean-style, doors. Details about the Model X’s specifications are limited on the company’s website, but the new model is expected to have a less expensive sticker price.